What are the dangers of living in Mexico City?

What would be the dangers of living in New York City and not speaking English

Aside from the pollution and crime, my biggest fear would be getting fat from all the good mexican food and cheap Corona's!

if you are rich or middle class, you can be kidnapped, robbed or killed (sometimes). Pollution is very bad also, but its a great city to live in.

I live in Mexico City, and I strongly suggest any other place. Any particular reason why you're asking this? Is there any other choice?

I am saying this because Mexico City is becoming quite dangerous, there is a lot of crime, but asides from that (which you have in any major city in the world), the traffic is becoming impossible, polution, the city is sinking, it is becoming quite a hassle to live here. Almost 30 million people, and we just don't understand we do not fit in here anymore.

As any major city in the world there are several dangers as well as many advantages.

There are some parts in Mexico City, that are as dangerous as the Bronx in New York City, or East LA in Los Angeles.

If you're planning to live here in Mexico City, ask me thru Yahoo Answers where could it be a nice play to live, and i'll tell you also the places you shouldn't go nearby.

the same as if you lived in any US big city. what do you think might happened? a drunk named sanch panza will come riging his burro and ivite you a tequila shot? please people do some reading! (directed to uneducated people that think mexico is a ranchery)

being eaten alive by skilled Mexicans (in double-meaning talk)

Same as at any Main city in the world, there's more crime, pollution, etc. But unless you are rich an owner of important bussines, there's no risk of kidnapping. If possible just move to a safe area like Santa Fe, Polanco, Lomas de Chapultepec, etc.
If you're thinking on going to live there and are English speaker you can always get important help for relocation at this site. http://www.newcomers.org.mx/

Well, my answer is a music video from Caf茅 Tacuba. The song is "Chilanga Banda". A "chilango" is somebody from Mexico city, "banda" means band (obviusly), the translation of idea could be "The people from Mexico city".
Pay attention to the videoclip. The guys with sunglasses are cops. Don't worry on what the song says, this is 100% "chilango" slang, not even spanish speakers (even from Mexico) understand it.

http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6kq6qJf3...

Look, it is true we have crime, pollution, crowds, traffic, but for instance, I lived in the U.S, for a while in a high end neighborhood in Miami. While I lived there happenned more "crimeful" things (a broken car window, stolen purses, home intrussion) than what has happened to me here (nothing), so as I tell people, why don't you come here and see it for yourself and see if you like it? There are THOUSANDS of foreigners living here, mostly from Europe or South AMerica, amazingly not many americans. What I can tell you is that every place in the world has pros and cons, Mexico City has everything for everybody, if not, why people keep coming on? Email me if you have specific questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

pollution, huge population, high crime rate

the usual as in every big city

all big cities are dangerous and so its mexico city..
im mexican and a cousin was kidnapped in mexico city while going back home but they let him go after they saw he didnt carried any money with him.. (he is high-middle class)
and yes its one of the most polluted cities in the world, but its also a great city and a very important one...

Mexico city is the best Spanish speaking city on Earth. Mexico is now the richest Spanish speaking country. There麓s more crime in New York if that what you mean. And about the kidnapping, only one of every 100,000 persons is kidnapped as MAXIMUM.

ull probably get asthma from inhaling all the contaminated air around u,it is the biggest city in the world u know!,crime and what the rest of the people say graffity etc...just like any ordinary big city

Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world, Like any big city has its problems, It is a very modern city and one of the richest and most important in the world, It is the most visited city in Latin America, Many people in the world especially in Europe and South America coming to live here, It has been host to the 1968 Olympic Games, world soccer 1970 and 1986, The people are very friendly, And it's a city with the same quality of life that new york life in the two cities is the same, Here I leave you a video.......

http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=IjTWPduzMY...

As everyone else has already pointed out crime in Mexico City is pretty high. Pollution is also a danger. Traffic and other things mentioned are not dangers but rather inconveniences. And frankly having lived in a couple major cities, I'd have to say that if traffic is dangerous, we should start warning people to stay away from tight cities with small streets and no parking (and no affordable valet parking!) like Paris or Madrid.
Now, the good thing about Mexico City is that being the victim of a criminal act can be reasonably avoided. If you are careful, mind what people with experience tell you (where not to wander at night for example) and carry yourself in a discreet manner (iow, keep the bling at home), your probably going to be just fine. Paranoia however may put you in the wrong place at the wrong time and with the wrong attitude.
The wonderful thing about crime in Mexico City, as opossed to big cities in the first world is that crime is committed solely (there are exceptions of course) for survival. And if you can manage to keep clear of situations where another's survival may come at your lose(wearing a rolex around people who are starving), you'll be just fine. Gratuitous violence I have found is rarely the case in Mexico and more frequently the cause in cities like NYC.
If Mexico city were a country on it's own, it would have an economy equivalent to Italy (we could even be part of the UE!lol). So let's dispel the myth: Mexico City is a complex but developed city, with a growing middle class, a dynamic economy, an open collective mind; legalized gay partnerships, abortion, a leftist government with a social agenda, and a population that is tired of being considered the worst place in the world after hell. Frankly, I'd be more scared to find myself lost in the bible belt.

i used to live there, it got to insecure for us i almsot got kidnapped
if youre rich or middle classsed, security is a great issue
people start researching stuff about you and you get phone calls saying they ahve your son or daughter (they really dont) but they give you so much info people sometimes pay the ransom and later find out its not true
some people are not that lucky and they actually suffer from and abduction
theres a lot of pollution like in every big city
traffic
you should stay away from places like "el centro" and ugly parts liek that one
if you live in a good place like interlomas,santa fe,bosques de las lomas,frondoso, and many places like that youll be ok
if you have kids
you should have them go to the ASF its a great school and really safe
overall mexico is ag reat city id go back if it were up to me, just be around the right people :D
best wishes!

Getting abducted and held for ransom

it's pretty much an initiation when you get robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint. also, you have a surprisingly high risk of getting kidnapped for a small amount of time, and having a part of your body cut off. and there is even a chance of not making it alive. it's very crowded and dangerous. you cannot take a taxi off the street...imagine the hassle of having to CALL for a taxi every time you needed one. and if you drive, expect to be robbed at a stop sign at some point.

here is a story which embodies mexico city... my boyfriend's sister is a doctor, completed her speciality at a hospital there. in the guarded parking lot, provided by the hospital (where she must park, and then take shuttle to the hospital) she must pay the lot attendents 50 pesos (5 USD) a day so that they won't pop her tires. the local police recieve a cut of this money, therefore they will not arrest these men. at first she refused, and they popped her tires 6 times in a row. now she pays.